Poinsettia plant named `Darlyne`

ABSTRACT

Poinsettia `Darlyne` is a new cultivar, distinguished by unique pink flower bracts, strong stems and self-branching characteristics. `Darlyne` is a sport of the red bracted `Supjibi` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,592) with the same flowering response and cultural requirements. The new plant produces a very desirable branched flowering pot plant. It is resistant to epinasty after being confined to shipping containers. The post-production foliage and bract retention are good.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

This new poinsettia cultivar originated as a pink bracted sport of`Supjibi` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,592) in my greenhouse in Blanzac,France in 1993. It was selected, because of its large unique "raspberry"pink flower bracts and strong growth habit, distinguishing it from otherpoinsettia cultivars, and seemingly making it a desirable plant forcommercial greenhouse production. After selection, `Darlyne` wasvegetatively reproduced from stem cuttings for test purposes inEncinitas, Calif. By subjecting clones of this plant to successivegenerations of vegetative propagation, it was demonstrated that thedistinctive characteristics of `Darlyne` held true from generation togeneration. Grown under the same greenhouse environment, `Darlyne` hadthe same growth habit and flowering response time as the parent plant`Supjibi`.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

Poinsettia `Darlyne` is illustrated in the accompanying colorphotographs.

The upper photo is a side view of one branched plant per pot in fullflower.

The lower photo is a top view of the same plant showing flower and bractformation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of this new poinsettia asobserved in Encinitas, Calif., USA during December 1994. Observationswere recorded from flowering plants, grown as one branched plant perpot. The pot was 14 cm in diameter and 11 cm in height. Colordesignations are compared to the 1986 edition of R.H.S. Colour Chart,first published in 1966 by The Royal Horticultural Society, London,England.

The Plant

Origin: Sport of `Supjibi` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,592).

Classification:

Botanical.--Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Common name.--Poinsettia.

Cultivar name.--`Darlyne`.

Form: Shrub.

Height: Short--Medium.

Growth habit: As a single stemmed plant, upright and vigorous withself-branching side shoots. The application of a chemical growthretardant may not be needed to restrict height for commercial pot plantproduction. I observed one branched plant in a pot with an overallheight of 40 cm and an overall width of 50 cm. The bract diameter ofindividual flowers was 33 cm.

Branching: Axillary branches will develop and terminate in a flowerwithout pinching. However, it is usually desirable to pinch `Darlyne`before flower induction and remove all terminal dominance. Then, allaxillary branches will develop uniformly and at a faster rate.

Growth rate: Rooting of stem cutting occurs in 12-18 days underintermittent mist. Grow at night temperatures of 16°-18° C. and daytemperatures of 24°-27° C. during flower development. Greenhouse lightlevels for good plant growth in the range of 50-60,000 lux, andcomplete, balanced nutrient solutions at the rate of 200 ppm nitrogenwith each irrigation are suggested.

Flowering: The plant will flower in eight to nine weeks under continuouslong night conditions and night temperatures of 16-18 degrees C. Likeits parent, (`Supjibi`), `Darlyne` will be in full bloom in lateNovember in the Northern Hemisphere under natural daylength conditions.

Foliage: The foliage was clean and uniformly dark green from bottom totop of the plant. The leaves were of medium size, leaf blades typicallybeing 11-12 cm long and 8-9 cm wide with leaf petioles 5-6 cm long. Theupper surfaces of the leaf petiole are pink. The under surfaces aregreen.

Leaf shape.--Typical leaves are ovate with obtuse to acute bases andacuminate tips. Leaf margins are mostly entire. An occasional lower leafis modestly lobed on either side of the leaf blade.

Leaf surface.--The upper surface is glabrous and the under surface isslightly pubescent.

Color.--Upper side -- Green, darker than R.H.S. 147A. Under side --Green, R.H.S. 147A-B.

Retention.--The foliage retention is good even under low lightintensities in the consumer's home.

Bracts: Generally there were 12-15 pink bracts of various sizessubtending the cyathia. The primary bracts had blades typically 14-15 cmlong and 9 cm wide with petioles 4 cm long.

Shape.--Primary bracts are ovate with acute to obtuse bases andacuminate tips. Leaf margins are entire or weakly lobed with 1 smallindentation on either side of the bract. Secondary bracts are ellipticaland have entire margins.

Surface.--The bract surface is slightly rugose.

Color.--Upper side -- A unique "raspberry" pink, darker than R.H.S. 51Aand much brighter than R.H.S. 53 D. The color fades to light pink, nearR.H.S. 51C on the bract edges. Under side -- Pink, near R.H.S. 51A withgreen veins.

Flowers: Generally, 10-12 cyathia (flowers) were present when the plantwas in full bloom. Each cyathium is about 7 mm long and 7 mm wide, greenin color, and fringed pink at the distal end. One or sometimes twoyellow nectar cups protrude from the side of each cyathium. The flowerpedicel is also green and about 6 mm in length. The filaments protrudingfrom the cyathia are white and the anthers are red. The stigmas are redand trifurcate. The pollen is yellow and copious. Cyathia retention wasabout three weeks beyond the time the flower was fully mature.

Nectar exudate.--Present, abundant.

Seed formation.--Self-incompatible.

Fertility.--Not observed.

Post production: `Darlyne` was resistant to epinasty after beingconfined to shipping containers. The foliage and bract retention weregood.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of poinsettia plant,substantially as herein shown and described, distinguished by its strongstems, unique raspberry pink flower bracts, self branching and good leafand bract retention in the consumer environment.